Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1601’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1601’ which is characterized by the combination of an equitant and upright to outward growth habit, thick succulent foliage, very light greyed-green juvenile foliage which is radially banded green, light yellow-green mature foliage which is radially banded green, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Sansevieria cylindrica.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Sansevieria disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘SUPSAN1601’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2016/2648, filed Oct. 31, 2016, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: The Sansevieria variety ‘SUPSAN1601’ originated as a seedling selection from the controlled pollination of the proprietary seed parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXU1802’ (not patented), with the proprietary pollen parent, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘MXU1806’ (not patented). Both parents were developed by, and are owned by, the inventor and were never commercially released. Said crossing was conducted by the inventor in a small, netted greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand in November of 2006. Seeds from said cross were harvested, then germinated, and the resulting seedlings were grown to a mature size in order to evaluate for a desirable combination of commercial characteristics. In August of 2008, one candidate plant was observed to exhibit a unique growth habit and leaf coloration. After confirmation of the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed, the inventor selected the new Sansevieria cultivar, ‘SUPSAN1601’, for commercial introduction.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘SUPSAN1601’ by way of harvesting vegetative ground shoots was first initiated in August of 2008 at Chonburi, Thailand. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation of vegetative ground shoots, five generations have been reproduced which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SUPSAN1601’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SUPSAN1601’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SUPSAN1601’ as a new and distinct Sansevieria cultivar:

-   -   1. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1601’ exhibits an equitant and upright to         outward growth habit with a limited number of leaves; and     -   2. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1601’ exhibits thick, succulent terete         foliage; and     -   3. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1601’ exhibits very light greyed-green         juvenile foliage with green mottled radial bands.     -   4. Sansevieria ‘SUPSAN1601’ exhibits light yellow-green mature         foliage with green mottled radial bands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘SUPSAN1601’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand. This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of ‘SUPSAN1601’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements, made in October of 2017, describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 month old ‘SUPSAN1601’ plants grown in 12 cm containers, at a commercial greenhouse in Chonburi, Thailand. The plants were grown using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Sansevieria plants which consisted of overhead irrigation, 50% shade cloth, and no fertilizer. No photoperiodic or chemical treatments were given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘SUPSAN1601’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘SUPSAN1601’ and comparisons with the parents and most similar commercial variety of Sansevieria are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Monopodial perennial; equitant and upright to             outward.         -   Plant form.—Vertically flattened; orbicular at the widest             point.         -   Average height.—23.0 cm.         -   Plant spread.—11.3 cm at the narrowest point, and 40.1 cm at             the widest point.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderate.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Propagation type.—Division of vegetative ground shoots;             harvesting ground shoots from the mother plant.         -   Propagation details.—The time needed to root a shoot             division is approximately 2 to 3 months with temperatures             ranging from approximately 17 to 40 degrees Celsius.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Plants have not been observed to be             susceptible or resistant to pathogens and pests common to             Sansevieria.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             and 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to             wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Moderately dense and moderately branched rooting;             roots are slightly fibrous.         -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately             deep.         -   Diameter of roots.—0.15 cm on average.         -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.         -   Color.—Greyed-yellow, nearest to in between RHS 162C and             162D. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching habit.—Monopodial, equitant; decurrent leaf bases             form the stem.         -   Number of primary (main) stems per plant.—One.         -   Number of secondary (lateral) branches per plant.—None.         -   Appearance and shape.—Stem is not visible; decurrent leaf             bases form the stem.         -   Length.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an             average length of 5.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—The decurrent leaf bases collectively have an             average diameter of 2.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—0.7 cm. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Distichous.         -   Attachment.—Decurrent.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Quantity.—8.         -   Attitude.—Outward; at an average angle of 60 degrees to             vertical.         -   Lamina.—Dimensions — 23.0 cm long and 2.0 cm wide. Thickness             — Approximately 2.3 cm. Shape of blade — Linear; succulent.             Cross-section — Terete. Aspect — Nearly straight. Apex —             Acute with a slightly papery tip which is colored             greyed-white, nearest to RHS 156D. Base — Decurrent. Margin             — Leaves are terete so there are no margins, with the             exception of the leaf base; leaf base margins are entire.             Texture of upper surface — Glabrous, smooth, and succulent.             Texture of lower surface — Glabrous, smooth, and succulent.             Luster of the upper surface — Very slightly glossy. Luster             of the lower surface — Very slightly glossy. Color —             Juvenile foliage, upper surface — Greyed-green, nearest to             RHS 194B, with mottled radial bands colored yellow-green,             nearest to in between RHS 137B and 146B. Juvenile foliage,             lower surface — Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 194B, with             mottled radial bands colored yellow-green, nearest to in             between RHS 137B and 146B; the base is nearest to in between             yellow-green, RHS 145C, and greyed-green, RHS 193C. Mature             foliage, upper surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B,             with mottled radial bands colored green, nearest to RHS             NN137A. Mature foliage, lower surface — Yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 146B, with mottled radial bands colored             green, nearest to RHS NN137A; the base is green, nearest to             RHS NN137A; margins of the decurrent base are yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 148D. Venation — Pattern — Parallel. Color,             upper surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137A. Color, lower             surface — Green, nearest to RHS NN137A.         -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves are decurrent. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISONS WITH THE PARENT PLANTS

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1601’ differ from the seed parent, Sansevieria ‘MXU1802’ (not patented), by the characteristics described in Table 1.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ‘SUPSAN1601’ AND ‘MXU1802’

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1601’ ‘MXU1802’ Overall plant size. Smaller than Larger than ‘MXU1802’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Rate of growth. Slower growing than Faster growing than ‘MXU1802’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Leaf thickness. Thicker than Thinner than ‘MXU1802’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Leaf length. Shorter than Longer than ‘MXU1802’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Primary foliage color. Darker greyed-green. Lighter greyed-green. Leaf pattern. Greater occurrence of Lesser occurrence of green radial banding. green radial banding.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1601’ differ from the pollen parent, Sansevieria ‘MXU1806’ (not patented), by the characteristics described in Table 2.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ‘SUPSAN1601’ AND ‘MXU1806’

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1601’ ‘MXU1806’ Rate of growth. Significantly faster Slower growing than growing than ‘MXU1806’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Leaf thickness. Thinner than ‘MXU1806’. Thicker than ‘SUPSAN1601’. Leaf length. Longer than ‘MXU1806’. Shorter than ‘SUPSAN1601’. Primary foliage color. Lighter greyed-green. Darker greyed-green. Leaf pattern. Lesser occurrence of Greater occurrence of green radial banding. green radial banding.

COMPARISON WITH THE MOST SIMILAR SANSEVIERIA CULTIVAR KNOWN TO THE INVENTOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUPSAN1601’ are most similar to the commercial cultivar, Sansevieria cylindrica ‘SAN201202’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,457). A comparison of ‘SUPSAN1601’ with ‘SAN201202’ is described in Table 3.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ‘SUPSAN1601’ AND ‘SAN201202’

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘SUPSAN1601’ ‘SAN201202’ Leaf thickness. Thinner than Thicker than ‘SAN201202’. ‘SUPSAN1601’. Primary foliage Very light greyed-green. Yellow-green. color. Leaf pattern. Lesser occurrence of Greater occurrence of green radial banding, green radial banding, which which gives the juvenile gives the foliage more of a foliage more of a grey green appearance. appearance. Juvenile foliage; Slightly more upright. More outward. leaf attitude. Leaf aspect. Generally straight; not Slightly undulated along undulated along the the length of the leaf. length of the leaf. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Sansevieria plant named ‘SUPSAN1601’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 